


National Wayne’s Vacation

by Gemini_00



Series: Batfamily Shorts [51]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Superman/Batman (Comics)
Genre: Bat Family, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Dad Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Jason Todd is Robin, Kinda, Ma Kent and Pa Kent, Protective Bruce Wayne, implied child prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 04:27:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18684142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemini_00/pseuds/Gemini_00
Summary: Prompt: VacationBruce agreed to Clarke’s offer of a weekend retreat hoping his two Robins will work thinks out





	National Wayne’s Vacation

Bruce had vacationed in rural areas before like the cabin in the mountains with a jacuzzi right outside. He’d had his fair share of rural travel when training to be Batman. Both are very different, Bruce recognized this. When Kent offered up his family’s home as a vacation house for himself and the boys… Bruce was going to say no immediately if it wasn’t for Alfred ready to push them out of the house for the weekend and the need for some type of bonding to occur between his  _ wonderful  _ two children. Batman had visited here once or twice but he never went inside.

 

Kent sat excitedly next to him on the plane, which Jason and Clark insisted they fly in coach instead of first class. Bruce personally didn’t see the appeal as he glared at Clark for supporting his youngest. But Bruce supposed it was better than the four seat that would face each other in first class if Jason and Dick’s rather volatile argument in the rental car said anything. Dick sat next to Bruce chatting animatedly with Clark meanwhile Jason stuck headphones in his ear with a glare facing his older brother. The twelve year old posessively grabbed onto his adopted father as if daring Dick to try and take him from him.

 

Dick seemed to notice this as he meanly whispered to Clark, “Did you make sure your parents nailed down everything in their house? Someone has sticky fingers.”

 

Of course Jason is never one to back down from a fight, “I think  _ Dick _ would like sleepin’ in tha’ barn. The hay will remind him o’the circus. Smell like it too.”

 

Bruce leveled them both with a glare, a rather silencing look. Dick, instead of fighting with Bruce, decided to also stay quiet on this matter. Clark looked between them all with a long sigh. This would be the longest week of his life.

  
  
  


Bruce doesn’t like the smell of the country. It smells like cow manure- and he makes sure to tell Clark this too. The boyscout responded in a way the regarded flying through Gotham’s smog which Bruce can fairly admit must be awful. His youngest seemed to feel the same way about the Kent farm though when looking around but sticking close to his father.

 

“Reminds me of some of the stop I had with Haly’s back in the day,” Dick grinned, enjoying the rathe pugent air. Jason on the other hand wraps his hands around Bruce’s arm.

 

“I ain’t ever left Gotham before,” He nearly whispered to Bruce. Bruce ran his hand through Jason’s hair slightly as Bruce and Dick walked ahead while pointing at the animals, “I thought there’d be more animals.”

 

“I don’t think they do too much business anymore,” Bruce explained, “Clark offered to teach you to ride a horse. You want to do that?”

 

It was a hesitant nod as they reached the door where Ma Kent stood outside with opened arms. She’d met Dick a few times and Bruce once as Bruce but plenty as Batman. This would be Jason’s first time in general that often reminds Bruce of Alfred. Her arms first develop Clark before wrapping around Dick.

 

“Bruce Wayne!” She yelled at them as the two slagged behind, “Get over here and let me see the boy.”

 

“She ain’t going to pinch my cheeks, is she?” Jason frowned.

 

“No but if she does then you let her,” Bruce warned as they approached the door. It smelt much better inside than outside. Bruce allowed Martha Kent to squeeze him tightly in a way that made him feel less like a grown bulking man and more like his twelve year old. She pushed him away to glance at the smallest member.

 

“This is the current face of Gotham,” She grinned, “Well city boy, let me show you how us Smallville folks like to kick it. You hungry, hun?”

 

Food’s been the way to Jason’s heart from the moment Bruce met him. Ma’ Kent seemed to jump on that when Jason allowed him to be dragged inside along with Dick leaving Clark with Bruce on the porch along with all their luggage. Well at least she got them to be in a room without forcing them or silencing them with a batglare.

 

“Clark, I supposed I should say thanks… The boys might benefit from this retreat,” Bruce reluctantly murmured. Bruce wanted to take it back the minute Clark’s eyes lit up and he had some stupid goofy grin.

 

“That was really hard for you to say, wasn’t it?” Clark smirked. Smug was not a good look on America’s favorite hero.

 

“Shut up and help me get the luggage in,” Bruce grunted as he grabbed Jason’s rather light bag. The street child tendencies had been hard to break, they just recently had managed to convince Jason to stop shoving food in his pockets for later. When he entered the house, it smelt of pie and warmth. The Kent house always felt warm to Bruce, a big difference where even in the manor, the Gotham chilly air snuck in. The boys were in the kitchen stuffing their face with pie which meant they were too busy with their mouths to taunt eachother. It seemed that they met Pa aswell.

 

“Bruce!” Jason jumped at the sight of his father with a mouthful of pie, “Pa’ said that we could ride the horses before dinner! He’s gonna ask his neighbors if we can barrow… what was their names?”

 

“Daisy and Bronx,” Pa’ said, “And only if your father said it was okay.”

Bruce let his children jump off buildings with only a grappling hook to catch them… Like he is going to say no to riding an old horse…

 

Bruce watched as Dick knowingly played with the horse knowns as Daisy who was slightly younger and much faster than old Bronx. Clark seemed rather at ease with the animals as he adjusted the saddle for Jason who was the lightest and newest rider. Clark told Jason that the lightest person should ride the older horse to avoid a fight breaking out between Dick and Jason about the fast horse.

 

“Dickie does have a fatass,” Jason told Clark. Dick flashed his own dark look at Jason but otherwise stayed quiet. 

 

“Jason, we’re with company. Watch your mouth,” Bruce grunted.

 

“It’s true. Ma’ or Pa’ catch ahold of that and you’ll have soap in your mouth with no dessert,” Clark told him as if he had some experience there. Bruce grinned at the thought of Clark’s big mouth full of soap and pouting about lack of dessert. 

 

While Jason was distracted with Clark teaching him, Bruce used the Kents only horse to trot uo next to his eldest son. They’d been better than what they were with Bruce loosening his rein a tab and Dick making sure to keep his father updated and atleast let Bruce take care of some of the Vigilante cost. But whenever Jason is around, Dick lets the child get under his skin and takes out the rest of his aggression at Bruce.

 

“How are you, old son?” Bruce asked, forcing himself open to wherever this conversation may take him. Something in the atmosphere of the Kent household is allowing Bruce to take this on with an open mind. A more open mind.

 

“It’s easier to ignore him here,” Dick answered, “So I guess it could be worse.”

 

Bruce sighed, “I’ve heard that little brothers like to get a rise out of their older siblings.”

 

Dick cast Bruce a dark look, “We aren’t brothers.”

 

“Legally-”

 

“Legally I’m a ward that is two years away from eighteen and he’s the adopted son of Bruce Wayne. Hyphenated and everything,” He snapped before trotting off on Daisy. It’s clear Dick’s anger drawn in a crowd from the looks of Jason and Clark. For once Jason didn’t look smug, nearly guilty or ashamed. 

 

Bruce took his on trail, knowing that if he went for Dick now then a fight would occur and Bruce wasn’t quite sure he could stomach it. Dick was his child in all but blood and apparently name. But he never thought Dick wanted that. He had parents, a father. Bruce did his best but he never thought he could take John Grayson’s place.

 

“Quite the feud those two have,” Martha Kent said to him when she caught him drinking a glass of lemonade. From the inside she watched as Clark, Jason, Dick, and Jon went picking for something. They weren’t even fighting so…

 

“I’m trying,” Bruce muttered, “I think they’d get along if it wasn’t for me. I think I did something I shouldn’t have.”

 

“Like giving Robin to Jason after a fight with your eldest?” She asked. Bruce sighed in response.

 

“It was never meant to hurt Dick. It was just meant to help Jason. He needed it, but I- I handled it all wrong and Dick can’t see past my wrongdoings enough to bond with his brother. And my own issues within the field cause Jason to fear that he’ll be kicked out in which he feels the need to bring his brother down,” Bruce groaned, “I think Jason is starting to get it more. But I messed up so much with Dick that-”

 

“Messed up?” She laughed, “Look at him.”

 

He did. He was helping Pa’ get something that the elderly man couldn’t. Even if Dick will deny it, Bruce can see the glimmer of worry in his eye when Clark flies just a bit above ground with Jason held high to pick the berries in the very top (the same way Bruce would watch with worry when Clark would fly with a tiny Richard Grayson). 

 

“Far as I know your boy is doing pretty good. Both of them,” She chuckled.

 

“Then I am the one that messed up,” Bruce sighed as he acknowledged both children with their sparkling personality and hearts bigger than anyone knows. Well everyone knows how big Dick’s hear it, It’s jason that has the rough exterior until you see him donating all of his allowance and any change he receives from the money Bruce gives him to go out with to the kids in his old building.

 

Said boy came running in with baskets full of blackberries, “They said you made mulberry pie… please.”

 

“I suppose I can whip some up,” She smiled at the preteen. Bruce could see the calculating look in her eyes that many grandmothers had when judging their child’s weight. Bruce fears any grief that he may receive for Jason’s far too underweight body. He hears enough about it from Leslie on a weekly basis, “Would you like to help me Jason?”

 

Jason always enjoyed cooking, “Yes’um miss. Thank you.”

  
  


Around the table, they begin to pass around the sugary lemonade which Dick decides to top off with even more sugar. As it seems, his anger at Bruce has cooled down for the time being. He’s focused on launching into stories about Bludhaven and the newfound Koriand’r and the team.

 

“And how is the commissioner's daughter? Your friend?” Pa’ Kent asked, unknowing about the drama that has occurred between the former Robin and Batgirl. Along with their fleeting relationship. Though Jason has taken quite a liking to her.

 

“She’s cool! Did’ya know that she is graduating early?” Jason said, “She’s like a genuis!”

 

“She’s graduating early?” Dick asked, looking at Bruce for confirmation.

 

He nodded, “Yale would like to have her but she has decided on Gotham U.”

 

“Not like ya’ would know,” Jason muttered, “Won’t stay around longer than ten seconds.”

 

Dick seemed to catch onto it rather quickly. Oh how well the day had been going. Then again there was plenty to distract them outside from the horses to the berries and the mudding trucks which Bruce will never allow his boys to own a truck now. Thanks for that, Clark. But being surrounded by nothing but food and conversation is enough to get the boys at one another's throats.

 

“Maybe that’s because I can’t stay longer than eight without you marking your claim,” Dick spat before gesturing between the limited space between Bruce and Jason.

 

“Not my fault that you left it,” Jason snapped. Bruce could see the bloodshed building with Jason’s reckless words and low self esteem combined with Dick’s quick temper and troubling circumstances.

 

“I didn’t leave it you little thieving brat,” Dick hissed, “I grew up. I moved on with my life.”

 

“Boys!” Bruce snapped at them, ready to stop the fight as the Kent watched the Waynes males crumble.

 

“That what you tell Babs?” Jason said viciously, “That you moved on with Kori?”

 

“Jason, stop right now and go to your room!” Bruce shouted. Jason’s angry glare at Dick turned to Bruce in betrayal before glaring angrily at his  _ older brother.  _ Bruce realized that he was quickly losing control of the situation.

 

“You just leave everything that matters! You don’ give a shit about Gotham or Bruce or Barbara! Someone had to step up while you went off to sleep around with an alien!” He screamed at Dick, “Like some slut.”

 

“Jason Todd Wayne!” Bruce snapped.

 

“Says the whore,” Dick’s careless words of something he knows nothing about cut through Jason in an instant. Jason jumps across the table at Dick getting a good hit in his eyes while screaming things in Spanish. Dick was taller and bigger though, more skilled. The older boy doesn’t hold back even when Jason hits him up the side a plastic saucer. Dick slams Jason into the ground while heabutting him and taking him out by his knees.

 

“Clark!” Bruce yelled as he stepped up to stop the fight.

 

“Got it,” Superman said, hauling Dick easily off the younger boy while Bruce lifted Jason’s kicking body up. 

 

“Enough!” Ma’ Kent screamed as the boys screamed at one another in their native tongue, neither understanding the other. Both froze in each man’s grip. Both boys covered in bruises and scratches from cheap shots along with food that now covers the floor, “I don’t know what you two get away with in Gotham but that ain’t happenin’ here. Not in my house! We don’t use that language and we never talk to family that way. Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves! Have enough respect for us, yourselves, and eachother to not act like some heathen. Most importantly have respect for your father, blood or not, who loves you boys even while you tear each other apart which by default kills him.”

 

Each boy goes limp, shame covering their entire bodies. Dick, who had always been so animated, looks so wrong with the guilt that covers his face as he calculates the damage from the messy floor to Bruce restraining a child.

 

“I’m sorry,” Dick whispered. Jason nodded along, slightly shaking now.

 

“Both of you clean this mess up,” Bruce sighed, “Not talking, no glaring… Just cleaning. Then we’re taking a walk and getting some air.”

  
  


An hour later after Bruce contemplated exactly how to work this out between the two, both boys showed up at his bedroom door wearing new clothes for sleeping that weren’t covered in food or mulberry pie. Each looked red and slightly scared, but not angry. That doesn’t help Bruce feel any better.

 

“Lets walk,” Bruce instructed as he pushed his way out of the door. Quiet footsteps following behind him. Still even when they got outside, Bruce was no closer to figring out what to say or how to fix this. 

 

“We can’t keep this up,” He told the two of them, “Both of you take cheap shots at one another without even trying to know each other. And it’s my fault, I get it. I messed up here. But I can’t take anything back. You’re my kids. Blood or not. Name or not. Mask or not. We are stuck with each other. So you two are going to work it out right here. No punches and no screaming.”

 

“Bruce-” Dick began but the man held up a hand. It was a very Alfred thing to do.

 

“Talk to Jason,” Bruce demanded. The older boy sighed but looked at his apparent little brother.

 

“I don’t like that your Robin,” Dick stated, “Well it’s not that I don’t like that your Robin.I don’t like there being a new Robin in general.”

 

Jason looked put on the spot, “You want it back?”

 

“No,” Dick contemplated, “I’m Nightwing now. I’m my own hero now.”

 

“Then why does it matter?” Jason snapped at Dick. But the older boy managed to not rise to the bait of the younger.

 

“Being replaced doesn’t feel good. Seeing it with Bruce and you. Barbara and you. It just reminds me of how much I screwed up. How good I wasn’t,” Dick stated. 

 

Bruce wants to argue that it isn’t true. Bruce wants Dick to see that it is Bruce who screwed up because he wasn’t good enough for his boy, he pushed him away. But if Bruce cuts in now then Jason and Dick might never get the conversation that they desperately need to have.

 

“You’re joking, right?” Jason’s blue green eyes widened at the thought, “I can’t ever be golden boy Dick Grayson. Everyone’s favorite hero. You think I can measure up to you? What a joke. Dude, you’re Robin. The Robin. I’m just the fill in.”

 

Bruce wants to tell Jason that he is not just the fill in. He’s more than that. He’s Bruce’s little boy, the same as Dick.

 

“Then why do you want to be Robin so bad?” Dick asked.

 

Jason chewed on his lip, “Robin is important. Batman needs his Robin, ya’ know? But when I was younger and shit was bad and the thugs liked to pick on us… I liked to pretend I was Robin… It made me feel stronger and better. Robin can’t just not exist. He’s needed.”

 

Dick didn’t look as angry anymore and neither did Jason, but both were stuck in the awkward tension of the past transgression against one another.

 

“What I said in there,” Dick said and Jason’s look darkened as he stared down at the grass, “I know you didn’t and I know you survived alot out there, It was bad. I’m sorry.”

 

“I did sorta call you a slut that leaves,” Jason shrugged, “I deserved it. She doesn’t hate you by the way. Barabara.  At least not as much as she likes to pretend she does.”

 

Bruce could feel the progress. His heart swelled up a bit at the thought of where this could lead. Jason, as much as he denies it, hero worships Dick in secrecy by attempting to follow the smooth acrobatic movements. And Dick always wanted a little siblings, begging Bruce to marry someone- even Catwoman (like that will ever happen) and give him a little brother or sister. 

 

_ Two is enough,  _ Bruce thought to himself.

 

“I can’t promise not to be pissed at Bruce from time to time. It’s inevitable, but I can stop taking it out on you,” Dick frowned, “You’re a good Robin.”

 

Jason’s dark red flush and vibrant eyes shined in the dark. It meant the world to him coming from Dick, more so than Bruce (who should really say it more often). He fought back a smile adorably and Bruce could already see Dick melting. He always wanted a little brother…

 

“Nightwing’s kinda cool too,” Jason shrugged.

 

Bruce thinks that maybe there can be just a few more family vacation in the future.

  
  



End file.
